found this intriguing, although they don't go into much detail about the artists and records, so i am not sure how they come up with the value (and i am not really up to speed on records specially made for military audiences, as far as value. however, what will make them valuable is demand, does anyone have an interest in collecting these types of records?)

Treasure found on Wake Island: Thousands of original vinyl records stored at old AFRTS site

by Capt. Amy Hansen 11th Air Force Public Affairs

12/5/2011 - WAKE ISLAND AIRFIELD, Alaska -- In a tale straight from an adventure book, personnel stationed at Wake Island Airfield in the mid-Pacific recently stumbled upon a vinyl record collection with an estimated value between $90,000 and $250,000.

The 611th Air Support Group's Detachment 1 is now making a comprehensive effort to preserve the nearly 9,000 vintage vinyl records and ship them to their rightful owner, the American Forces Radio and Television Network in Alexandria, Va., according to Master Sgt. Jean-Guy Fleury, infrastructure superintendent, who took over the project from the former Detachment 1 commander, Maj. Aaron Wilt.

No digging was required to access this treasure, as the records were cataloged and neatly organized on shelves in a small room on the second floor of the Wake Island Airfield base operations building. The door was conspicuously stenciled with the name of the radio station, KEAD, and a restricted area warning, which kept most people out.

"That's a locked room normally, but people in my department have known the records were there for years," said Colin Bradley, communications superintendent with Chugach Federal Solutions, Inc. CFSI is the contractor that currently manages operations on Wake Island with the oversight of Air Force quality assurance personnel.

"Because of the completeness of the collection, I assumed it was quite valuable. I have not run across a collection that well preserved or that intact in my career. It's a little time capsule," he said.

The collection includes a variety of vinyl albums and records specially made for military audiences and distributed monthly by the American Forces Radio and Television Network, as well as some commercially available records.

"In 1942, the American Forces Radio Service was started to get American music out to the troops overseas," said Larry Sichter, American Forces Network Broadcast Center Affiliate Relations Division chief. "Some of the radio productions were original, like GI Jill and Command Performance, and have significant value."

The exact dates the low-powered AM station operated on Wake Island remain unclear, but Mr. Bradley shared his estimate. "I would guess that [KEAD] started in the sixties due to the dates on the records. Also, the FAA controlled Wake Island until the mid-60s, so an armed forces radio station wouldn't have been here. I would guess it wrapped up maybe in the 70s or with the advent of satellite radio."

According to a 2007 entry by Patrick Minoughan on www.richardsramblings.com, KEAD was already around in 1963. "I was stationed on Wake Island from Jun 1963 to Jun 1964. Yes indeed there was a Coast Guard Loran Station on Peale Island and it was run by a great bunch of guys. On the second floor of the then new terminal building was a very small AFRTS radio station. AFRTS had no personnel there but sent in monthly shipments of music. While I was there one of the Communications guys named Steve Navarro would do a daily show for a couple of hours. When it was unattended anyone could go in and play the records which were broadcast on the island," he wrote.

According to Mr. Sichter, AFRTS was able to get permission to use the work of many artists, and later actors, for free. Therefore, the records were copyrighted and only to be used for their official purpose of entertaining the troops overseas, and then returned to AFRTS.

Since Wake Island Airfield is a tiny 1,821-acre atoll located about 2,000 miles west of Hawaii and 2,000 miles east of Japan, it is possible that the cost and logistics of returning the records to the mainland were prohibitive at the time the radio station was shut down.

So now, about 30 years after the last record was spun on KEAD, Master Sergeant Fleury is spearheading the operation to ship the records back to AFRTS. He has estimated that it will take approximately 75 16-inch by 16-inch boxes, and a total of about $10,000 worth of specialized material to properly pack up the records. AFRTS is providing the materials, and Detachment 1 will do the packing, he said.

According to Mr. Sichter, the records will be used to fill any gaps in the American Forces Network local museum, and the rest of the collection will be entered into either the Library of Congress or the National Archives to become a permanent piece of U.S. history, accessible to all.

However, the tradition of using radio to entertain and inform the people on Wake atoll does not end with the departure of the records. There are currently about 133 people who live and work on Wake on unaccompanied tours, including four military, 19 American contractors working for CFSI, and about 110 Thai CFSI workers. In such an isolated environment, entertainment and news from home is a big morale booster.

"We provide radio and TV services for both Americans and Thais out here," said Mr. Bradley. "Without them, people would find the passage of time more difficult."

"Our communications folks maintain four FM satellite radio stations on a volunteer basis," he said. "The satellite equipment was supplied by AFRTS a long time ago with the advent of the 'Direct to Sailor' distribution system in the Pacific."

As nice as it was to have AFN radio and TV stations on Wake, the local flavor was missing after KEAD stopped broadcasting.

"Radio is a local medium, so people go to the radio for local information," said Mr. Sichter. "There is much more immediacy with radio."

Then Robert Brooks, CFSI fire chief, and Melissa White, CFSI work control supervisor, came up with an idea. "We started a year ago, looking for ways to entertain people," said Chief Brooks. "I was a licensed wrestling promoter from 1987-2000 in Illinois, so we decided to do a classic professional wrestling show."

Now Chief Brooks and Mrs. White co-host a live radio show twice a week on the island's local radio station, 104.5 "The Quake". The show is called "Classic Professional Wrestling" and features interviews with wrestlers who were popular in the 70s, 80s, and 90s, like Terry Funk, Dr. X, and Blackjack Mulligan. Local announcements usually follow the show to keep Wake's residents informed about safety items, scheduled activities, and island news. When the show is not on, 104.5 broadcasts music from a locally-managed computerized play list.

"It's a hobby for me; it's fun and a morale booster," said Mrs. White.

For Chief Brooks, the show is a passion. "I love classic professional wrestling," he said. That passion resulted in the show being picked up by an internet radio site, www.unlimitedradio247.com, which broadcasts worldwide.

"Now we have listeners across the world," said Mrs. White. "People from Japan wrote in to say they listen."

So, just like when KEAD was operating, the spirit of the amateur radio host lives on at Wake in Chief Brooks and Mrs. White. Even though Detachment 1 is shipping hundreds of thousands of dollars worth of records back to AFRTS, perhaps the real treasure will remain in the people who love and carry on the tradition of local radio on Wake Island.

In celebration of the holidays and our five year anniversary, 2007 - 2011, Because Sound Matters is offering 10% off nearly every title in our store. This includes new titles such as Caveman CoCo Beware, 400 Blows Sickness and Health, Mastodon The Hunter, Red Hot Chili Peppers I'm With You and classic titles such as the complete Nirvana and Metallica catalogs, throughout the month of December.

As a special gift for a fan of music, SoundStageDirect is offering gift certificates that can be applied towards purchases on their site.

Each week, SoundStageDirect adds to its growing library of vinyl record releases by presenting a selection of new and classic music recordings. For many music lovers, hearing music played back on vinyl is the only choice. Now those same music lovers can receive a gift certificate for the holidays which will allow them to make purchases for themselves on SoundStageDirect.

Among the latest batch of vinyl record releases are complete album reissues from a vast array of artists such as the Grateful Dead, Ray Charles, Bob Dylan, Paul McCartney and U2. Each week, SoundStageDirect adds to their amazing selection with music from all genres including jazz, classical, hip-hop and reggae.

For playback, SoundStageDirect also has a complete selection of turntables. These turntables can be used by club DJs or in the home. Instead of being "antiques", the turntables offered on SoundStageDirect incorporate the latest technological advances in sound engineering. These are top of the line devices that will enhance the listening pleasure of any vinyl recording.

The SoundStageDirect gift certificates are currently being offered in denominations ranging from $5 to $1,000. The gift certificates can be emailed directly to the recipient, which allows them to begin shopping right away. SoundStageDirect has also perfected the lost art of packaging vinyl records. Shoppers' purchases are fully guaranteed to be delivered in pristine condition and unbroken.

For a SoundStageDirect shopper who can't find the album they are looking for, customer service representatives are standing by to take requests. New reissues are released every week. Many of these titles are based on requests by the fans. That's how records like the Beatles' Abbey Road, Crosby, Stills and Nash's work, Queen's News of the World and After the Gold Rush by Neil Young were added to the library. The customer service representatives can also make recommendations towards turntable selection and offer tips on how to keep those vinyl records clean.

SoundStage Direct, LLC is an online independent store based in Doylestown, Pennsylvania. SSD has the largest selection of new releases and vinyl reissues online. And you don't want to miss amazing closeout deals available at our LP outlet! We have vinyl LPs in every genre and in a variety of formats available ready to be shipped at your doorstep.

Paralytic Stalks, the latest from of Montreal, is now officially available for pre-order! The album will be available on CD, 180-gram 2xLP (limited edition fuchsia, or black vinyl), Cassette, and MP3 formats on Feb 7th.

Green Day have recently announced the reissue of their first two albums ‘39/Smooth’ and ‘Kerplunk’ for December 20th release. Both albums will be available on limited edition black & white vinyl for the first time in over a decade. Their debut album ‘39/Smooth’, which was originally released in 1990 through Lookout! Records, will be including the original 7" of the classic songs '1000 Hours' and 'Slappy'.

‘Kerplunk’, Green Day’s second studio album released in 1992, is believed to be one of the most influential US punk rock albums ever made and still ranks among the best-selling independently released albums of all time.

For the new re-release it will be bundled with the original 'Sweet Children' 7 inch EP and will also feature the original version 'Welcome to Paradise' - later one of the Green Day's biggest hits. The reissues are exclusively available through Epitaph Europe's merchandise company King Roads Merch.

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SOULFLY: New Album Title, Release Date Revealed

SOULFLY has set "Enslaved" as the title of its eighth album, due on March 13, 2012 via Roadrunner Records. The CD was recorded at Tallcat Studios in Phoenix, Arizona and was produced by Chris "Zeuss" Harris, the seasoned knob twiddler behind some of the most notable bands in metal today, such as SHADOWS FALL, HATEBREED, THE RED CHORD and more. SOULFLY vocalist/guitarist Max Cavalera also shared production duties.

Guitarist Randy Rhoads would be 55-years-old today (Dec. 6), had a tragic airplane accident not cut short the life of a man Ozzy Osbourne called a “saint” and an “angel.’ Despite only giving fans less than ten years worth of music with Quiet Riot and then with Osbourne, Rhoads’ impact will never slip quietly out of fan’s memories.

As they’ve done every year, fans will gather at Rhoads’ grave in San Bernardino, Calif. today. “We will never forget him,” Osbourne says. “His musical legacy lives on in the minds and music of his many fans.” Osbourne spoke about his guitarist to Guitar Player five months after the March, 1982 accident that killed Rhoads, shut down their tour and changed Ozzy’s life forever.

Blues great, Hubert Sumlin, who supported Howlin' Wolf for years before breaking out as a solo artist, passed away on Sunday at St. Joseph's Hospital in Wayne, New Jersey from heart failure. He was 80.

LOS ANGELES, Dec. 5, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- Ringo Starr's 17th solo studio record, and his second on HIP-O/UMe will be released on January 31, 2012 in the United States (Internationally, January 30, 2012.)

Titled simply "Ringo 2012" and produced by Ringo, it was recorded in LA and mixed in England by Ringo and Bruce Sugar, and features 9 songs.

Of the 9 tracks two are covers, "Think It Over," and "Rock Island Line" and two are new versions of his own songs, "Wings" and "Step Lightly."

In 1877, Thomas A. Edison finished his first phonograph design and gave a sketch of the machine to his mechanic, former Swiss clock maker John Kruesi, to build. Thirty hours later the machine was finished, but Kruesi bet the inventor $2 that it would not work. Edison immediately tested the machine by speaking a nursery rhyme into the mouthpiece, "Mary had a little lamb." To his amazement, the machine played his words back to him. Kruesi would go on be involved in many of Edison's key inventions, including the quadruplex telegraph, the carbon microphone, the phonograph, and the incandescent light bulb and system of electric lighting.

Blues artist Leadbelly died in 1949. Huddie William Ledbetter wrote many songs including "Goodnight Irene," "Cotton Fields," "The Rock Island Line" and "The Midnight Special." Leadbelly was jailed several times for fights and knife related incidents, he was once jailed for shooting a man dead during an argument over a woman.

In 1957, Mercury Records released the Diamonds' version of "The Stroll." The song will peak at #4 on the Billboard Pop chart and help spark a dance craze where two lines of dancers, men on one side and women on the other, face each other, moving in place to the music.

In 1961, John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison, and Pete Best met with Brian Epstein for further discussions about his proposal to manage them. Epstein wanted 25% of their gross fees each week. He promised that their bookings will be better organized, more prestigious, and will expand beyond the Liverpool area. He also promised that they will never again play for less than £15, except for Cavern lunchtime sessions, for which he will get their fee doubled to ten pounds. Lennon, as leader of The Beatles, accepts on their behalf.

In 1962, in New York City, Bob Dylan recorded "A Hard Rain's A-Gonna Fall."

In 1963, the Beatles began a tradition of releasing a spoken-word Christmas recording for fans.

In 1964, the film Ferry Cross the Mercy premiered in London with Gerry and the Pacemakers and Cilla Black.

In 1965, the Rolling Stones recorded "19th Nervous Breakdown" and "Mother's Little Helper" at RCA's Hollywood Studios in Los Angeles.

In 1965, in North America, the Beatles released the "Rubber Soul" album and their single "We Can Work It Out" b/w "Day Tripper," three days after they were issued in the UK. In a discussion about what song to release as a single, John Lennon argued for "Day Tripper," differing with the majority view that "We Can Work It Out" was a more commercial song. As a result, the single was marketed as the first "double A-side."

In 1966, the Beatles recorded Christmas and New Year's greetings for pirate radio stations Radio Caroline and Radio London. Both stations were broadcasting from ships anchored off the British coastline.

In 1966, the Beatles recorded the basic track for "When I'm Sixty-Four" during one of the first sessions for the as-yet-unnamed album that became "Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band." There were multiple overdub sessions, including the lead vocal by Paul McCartney on December 8 and backing vocals on December 20. The song was completed when the clarinets were recorded on December 21.

James Taylor's self-titled album was released in Britain on Apple in 1968. Most attention focused on the contributions of Paul McCartney and George Harrison. Taylor was the first non-Beatle signed to Apple.

In 1969, the Rolling Stones play a free "thank you" concert for 300,000 fans at the Altamont Speedway in Livermore, California. Among the performing guests are Jefferson Airplane, Santana and Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young. The hastily organized event rapidly falls into a disaster when four people die, including one who was stabbed by a Hell's Angel who was hired to act as a security guard. The murder is filmed and included in the film "Gimme Shelter" which premiers exactly one year later.

Led Zeppelin made their debut on the US singles chart in 1969 with "Whole Lotta Love." It went on to make #4 on the chart and was the first of six Top 40 singles for the group in the US. During the bands career, Zeppelin never released any singles in the UK.

In 1969, a fictitious group called Steam was given credit for this week's Billboard chart topping tune, "Na Na Hey Hey Kiss Him Goodbye". The song was actually recorded by Gary De Carlo, who intended it to be the "B" side of his first single. Gary didn't like the song and when record executives wanted to issue it as the "A" side, he insisted it be released under an assumed name. After the song became a hit, De Carlo still wanted nothing to do with it and a group from Bridgeport, Connecticut was recruited to tour in support of the record.

In 1970, 'Gimme Shelter,' the documentary film about the Rolling Stones' 1969 tour of the U.S., featuring footage of the infamous Altamont concert, debuted in New York City.

In 1971, John Lennon and Yoko Ono released "Happy Xmas (War Is Over)" in North America.

In 1974, George Harrison released the holiday single celebrating New Year's Day, "Ding Dong, Ding Dong." The lyrics were taken mostly from engravings on the walls of George's Friar Park Mansion.

Paul Simon went to #1 on the US album chart in 1975 with 'Still Crazy After All These Years,' his first US #1 solo album.

In 1975, Rev Charles Boykin of Tallahassee, Florida organised the burning of Elton John and Rolling Stones records, claiming they were sinful. Boykin was reacting to the results from a survey that said, 984 of the 1,000 local unmarried mothers had sex when listening to rock music. For the record, he didn't stamp out rock and roll we are are all still sinning.

AC/DC's big breakthrough comes with his fifth US album, 'Highway to Hell,' which was released in 1979. It turns gold and happens to be the last album recorded with original vocalist Bon Scott, who dies two months later.

In 1980, the Police played the Fox Theater in Atlanta, Georgia, with R.E.M. as their opening act.

The late Randy Rhodes was born in 1956 (played with Quiet Riot and Ozzy Osbourne). He died in plane crash March 19, 1982.

The sound system breaks down during a John Mellencamp concert at Madison Square Garden in New York in 1985. Mellencamp waits until the problem is fixed, resumes the show and offers anyone in the audience their money back if they’re not satisfied. That's how a professional acts!

Singer songwriter Roy Orbison died of a heart attack in 1988 (age 52). Scored the 1964 US & UK #1 single "Pretty Woman," plus over 20 US & 30 UK Top 40 singles including "Only the Lonely" and "Crying." Formed his first band The Wink Westerners in 1949 and was a member of The Traveling Wilburys (known as Lefty Wilbury) with Bob Dylan, George Harrison, Jeff Lynne and Tom Petty Orbison endured a great deal of tragedy in his life. His first wife, Claudette died in a motorcycle accident in 1966 and two of his three sons, died in a house fire.

Exhausted from a hectic tour schedule, he had returned to his home in Hendersonville, Tennessee to rest for a few days. Orbison spent the day flying model airplanes with his sons. After having dinner at his mother's home, he suffered a fatal heart attack.

In 1991, Mimi Smith, the aunt who raised John Lennon for most of his childhood, passed away at the age of 85 at the Varcoe Nursing Agency in Poole, Dorset, England. According to auxiliary nurse Lynne Varcoe, Mimi's last words were "Hello, John."

Pearl Jam’s 'Vitalogy' was released in 1994.

In 1994, Tower Records releases The Beatles' "Live At The BBC", a 69 track, double album of tunes recorded for BBC shows such as Top Gear, Easy Beat, Saturday Club and Pop Go The Beatles. The LP will rise straight to the top of the UK chart, selling over 600,000 copies by the end of the year and 2,000,000 in the US four weeks later.

In 1999, the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame announced that their 2000 class would be Eric Clapton, the Lovin' Spoonful, the Moonglows, Bonnie Raitt, James Taylor and Earth, Wind and Fire.

In 2005, the iTunes Music Store reached more than 3 million videos sold.

In 2006, the iTunes Music Store was officially launched in New Zealand.